New Covenant in Christ

Today's passage is Hebrews 8:8-12.  It talks about how God made a new covenant through Christ. The Old covenant that he made under Moses is now fulfilled in Jesus.  I like making lists.  My bible has two lists showing how the two covenants were different.  I thought I would share some of that with you today.  Take some time to look over this list and appreciate how Jesus brings freedom into our lives.

Old Covenant Under Moses                            New Covenant in Christ

Sacrifices required for sin                                  Jesus sacrificed for our sin

Focused on a building to                                    Focused on Christ residing in our hearts
worship God      

Limited access to God                                       Unlimited access to God

Continual sacrifice                                            Conclusive sacrifice

Available to some                                             Available to all

If you find yourself taking for granted the sacrifice Jesus did on the cross. Take some time today to look over this list and maybe even add to it.  Let the love of God fill you new today.  We need to never forget how high and how deep his love is for us.

     

Survivor

Genesis 47:13-26

Survivor is a popular TV reality show in which contestants try to “outwit, outplay and outlast” the other competitors in order to win the grand prize of $1 million. Participants have been willing to go to almost any lengths to win including lying, stealing, manipulating and back-stabbing.

 The people in Egypt and Canaan found themselves in a survival situation, only it wasn’t a game. The famine became so bad that the people were starving. At first, they spent all their money for grain. When that ran out, they traded all of their livestock. Finally, they traded not only their property, but their very bodies. They became slaves to their desires, and as a result to Pharaoh.

 But, let’s examine Joseph and Pharaoh for a minute. As a result of the famine, they accumulated tremendous wealth at the expense of the people. Because of Joseph’s interpretation of Pharaoh’s dream, they were like inside traders who knew what the stock would do. Instead of telling the masses the future so that they could get ready, they planned and prepared so that when the time arrived, they could prosper at the expense of others.

At times, we all fall into one of the above groups: victim or victimizer. Whichever side of the coin you find yourself, there is a message for you from Survivor.

The title of Survivor this season is Second Chance because each person on the show has played in a previous season and lost. The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob is a God of second chances. God gave Joseph a second chance to provide for his father and brothers, thus taking another step towards fulfilling His covenant to make a great nation out of Abraham.

And now, through Jesus Christ, we have a second chance to be a part of that same covenant. Not a second chance to just survive, but a second chance to live our lives for

Him; to follow Him; to love Him with all our heart, mind and soul. God has given us a second chance so that we might share THE Second Chance with others.

 “And I will make you a great nation, And I will bless you [abundantly], And make your name great (exalted, distinguished); And you shall be a blessing [a source of great good to others];”            Genesis 12:2 AMP

 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=genesis%2047%3A13-26&version=NIV;TLB

https://www.biblegateway.com/audio/mclean/niv/Gen.47.13-Gen.47.26

We Are God's Light

Only 6 months and 3 weeks until Halloween!

 

I like Halloween. It is fun watching the kids in their costumes come to the door. I especially like seeing those who are three and under, those who don’t quite know what is going on, come to the door with their parents.  And of course, there is always plenty of left over candy for me to share with myself!

 

I also like looking at the various jack-o-lanterns my neighbors carve. We have some very creative people in our neighborhood.

 

A jack-o-lantern needs a candle. Without one, it can not show off the creativity of its author. It would just be a pumpkin, and a dark one at that.

 

Today’s reading is 2 Corinthians 3:14-4:6. Paul describes the difference between the Old Covenant and the New Covenant. Some people cling to the Old Covenant and have their hearts veiled to the truth of the New Covenant. They refuse to believe in Jesus as their Lord.

 

Because God shows us mercy, we believe in the New Covenant. We have the responsibility to be servants of God, preaching Christ is the Lord. Paul finishes today’s reading with, “ For God, who said, 'Let light shine out of darkness,’ made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.”

 

We are a bit like a jack-o-lantern. We have been carved by God to accomplish his tasks. Each one of us is a bit different that the others, for our assigned tasks may be different. God also puts his light in our heart. Without this light, the world would not see us as God made us.

 

But the light does more than expose who we are. The light is the light of God, and when the world sees the light in us, it is really seeing the light of God and the face of Christ.

 

We are God’s light, and we light up the world with his love!

A leap through time

“When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.” Luke 1:41

When the ark of the covenant was carried back to Jerusalem, King David leaped and danced before it with all his might. This chest of wood, overlaid and adorned with gold, contained reminders of God’s promises and commands: manna – bread from heaven delivered daily on a just-in-time basis to a rebellious and wandering people; Aaron’s rod, which, though dead, yet budded, blossomed and brought forth almonds; and the Ten Commandments, stipulations of the old covenant etched in stone. And in this procession of God’s truth and faithfulness, David’s joy overflowed, neither contrived nor restrained.

Now turn the clock forward one thousand years to the dawning of a new day. There were no crowds this time, no trumpets, no gold ... just a young woman, Mary, visiting her aged relative, Elizabeth, each expecting her first child. In time, John, the son of the older woman, would herald Jesus, the son of the younger, as the long-promised Messiah. For Jesus himself would be our manna, new bread from heaven for an eternity of endless todays. Like Aaron’s rod, he would die, yet live and bring forth life. And he would perfectly fulfill for us the otherwise impossible demands of the law.

And as, in her womb, Mary carried this new covenant into his presence that day, John leaped for joy before him. His also was a joy neither contrived nor restrained.

No matter our circumstances, joy is ours when we rest in who God is and in the truth of his promises. His truth brings peace, and his peace brings joy. When we are poor, when we are hungry, when we weep, even when we are hated, excluded, insulted and rejected for our life in Christ, Jesus says, “Rejoice in that day and leap for joy, because great is your reward in heaven (Luke 6:23).”

Ours is a simple, honest and liberating joy, one we can not contrive and need not restrain.

2 Corinthians 3:7-18

At first read through, these words are confusing at best.  But when I listen to the reading, close my eyes and hear the words, they begin to sink in to my heart.  What I am hearing is that the covenant God made with Moses and the 10 Commandments issued on the tablets of stone were very good.  The old covenant was necessary at the time, for the people to have faith and order.  The 10 Commandments provided the people with guidelines and rules so they could recognize the difference between good and bad behavior.

Now, we have a new covenant in Jesus.  He is the promise of God for salvation; our hope and grace; a covenant which remains forever. This covenant is one of freedom for all who believe.

"Therefore, since we have such a hope, we are very bold." (2 Corinthians 3:12) 

What does that boldness look like?  At times it looks like one friend sharing the Good News with another; at other times it is acknowledging the gift of forgiveness and embracing grace and peace.  I can boldly claim my salvation and I can also rest in the assurance that those I love who have already been called home, I will see one day.  For good things that happen to me, I boldly declare, "God is so good, all the time."

"Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom." (2 Corinthians 3:17)

Read the 2 Corinthians 3:7-18 text here.  Listen to a reading of the 2 Corinthians 3:7-18 text here.